Acetylene-gas generator



(No Model.) 2 Shet-Sheet 1.

J.H.COUPER. AGETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

No. 595,119. Patented Dec. 7, 1897.

WITNESSES:

YNVENTOR (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

' J-. H. GOUPER.

AGETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

Patented De0.7,1897

INVENTOR 6319062; BY

ATTORNEY S wnnsses:

Human STATES PATENT @rrron.

JAMES HAMILTON COUPER, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

ACETYLENE-GAS GENERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 595,119, dated, December 7, 1897.

Application filed July 8, 1896. Serial No. 598,450. (No model.)

To ctZZ 1072,0712 it may concern.-

Be it known' that I, Janus HAMILTON Cou- PER, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Atlanta, in the county of Fulton and State of Georgia, have made a certain new and useful Improvement in Acetylene-Gas Generators; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact de scription of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for generating the gas commercially known as acetylene by the reaction of water and calcium car-bid, the object of the invention being to render such apparatus safe and automatic for the production of gas and to increase the storage capacity of such devices.

The invention consists of a generator, a low pressure holder, and a high pressure holder, together with certain details of construction, all of which will be hereinafter specified.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device assembled as in operation. Fig. 2 is a vertical central section of the generator proper. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan showing the upper end of the generator with a safety device attached. Fig. lis a side elevation thereof as it would appear looking from the left-hand side of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail of the throttle-valves, both being substantially alike. Fig. 6 is a detail of the lower end of the two valve-operating rods. Fig. 7 is a plan looking from the top of Fig. 5. Fig. Sis a detail in section of the central portion of the upper cap of the generator, showing the pipe connection.

In the figures like reference-characters are uniformly employed in the designation of corresponding elements of construction.

1 is the generator, 2 the low-pressure holder, and 8 the holder for gas under heavy tension. The holder 3 may be of any form desired and should be capable of sustaining a tension of about ten atmospheres or of a suflicient strength to withstand any probable tension plus a suitable factor of safety. The lowpressure holder 2 may be, and preferably is,

constructed in the form of a gasometerthat is, having a lower stationary vessel 4 and a rising vessel 5 in the form of an inverted cup and arranged slidably within the vessel 4, water being employed, as usual, to seal the bottom thereof.

6 is the service or discharge pipe and should lead from a point sufficiently above the water-floor to obviate any danger of water escaping therethrough. A throttle-valve may be included in this pipe if deemed necessary. The pressure-gage 7 may be connected with the holder 3 if desired.

In the construction shown a beam 8 extends between the two holders 2 and 3 for preserving their proper position, and secured to this beam in any desired manner is the generator 1. A pipe 9 leads from the highpressure holder 3 to the bottom of the lowpressure holder 2, extending on the inside of the latter to a point above the water-floor. In this pipe 9, near the holder 2, is a quick-closing valve 10, which is operated by means of a lever 11 and a pitman 12, connected with the section 5 of the holder 2. In order to allow a small movement of the said holder and the pitman 12 irrespective of the said lever 11, for the purpose hereinafter set forth, the pitman 12 is slotted, as best shown in Fig. 6, said slot being of a length correlative to the desired independent movement of the pipe 5.

13 is a bracket which is adapted to stop the lever 11 in its downward movement as soon as the valve 10 shall be opened, and in order that this point may be accurately adjusted the arm 13 is made vertically adjustable on the pipe 9.

The generator 1 consists of a cylindrical portion 14, suitably supported on the beam 8 and having closures 15 for its bottom and 16 for its top, both of which should provide gas and water tight joints.

17 is a U-shaped shackle, its bottom end adapted by lips 18 to take under the edges of the cap 15., and a screw 19 is provided in its other end adapted to enter the depression 20 in the center of the cap 16. The cap 16 is provided with a lug through which is a passage 22, screw-threaded at both ends. In the lower screw-threaded end is screwed a perforated T 23 and in the upper end is screwed a water-pipe 2i. Supported on legs 25 from the upper side of the cap 15 is a funnel-shaped diaphragm 26, flaring upwardly and outwardly from a central opening. This diaphragm 26 forms a suspension device for the calcium carbid. A pipe 27, including a quickclosing valve 28, connects the pipe 9 with the generator 1.

Obviously this generator and connecting pipes and valves should have the same strength to hold gas under high tension as does the holder As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the screw 19 is provided with a collar 29, and on the upper side of this collar rests the bifurcated end of a wrench 30, the other end of said wrench being connected with a rod 31, which also passes through a smaller wrench on the stem of the valve 28, which latter wrench acts as a crank, so that when the valve 28 is opened or closed a lateral movement of the rod 31 is produced, which will draw the wrench out of engagement with the squared head of the screw 19, so that it rests out of engagement therewith on the top side of the collar 29. It isintended that when the valve 28 is opened and communication thus opened with the holders 2 and 3 and the generator 1 the Wrench 30 will be in engagement with the screw 19,'and hence prevent an inexperienced person from opening the generator while the valve 28 is closed. The generator may be opened freely by placing an ordinary wrench on the head of the screw 19 when this bifurcated wrench 30 is not in engagement with said screw.

The before-mentioned pipe leading from the opening 22 in the cap 16 passes upwardly a suitable distance, where it enters a tank 33, adapted to be filled with water. Incorporated in the pipe 24 is a glass tube 34:, which forms pipe is a valve 35,which is controlled by a lever 36, the end of which engages with an arm 37, secured to the upper end of the movable section 5 of the holder 2. WVater is placed in the tank 33, and when the valve 35 is opened said water will fiow downwardly through the pipe 24 drop by drop, and, passing through the sight-feed 34 through the opening 22 in the cap 16, will be dropped upon the mass of calcium carbid from the sprinkling-head 23.

The operation of this device is as follows: The generator is charged with the required amount of calcium carbid, same being placed upon the diaphragm 26. The valve 35 is then opened and water allowed to drip, as before specified, onto said carbid, which sets up an evolution of gas and fills the holders 2 and 3 with gas at such a pressure as will elevate the section 5 of the holder 2. As soon as the section 5 of said holder reaches about the position shown in Fig. 1, its point of extreme elevation being indicated in said figure by broken lines, the valve 35 will be closed and the dropping of water on the calcium carbid will be stopped. As soon as said section 5 shall reach its upward limit of movement the valve 10 will be closed through its connection to the rod 12, and the acetylene thereafter generated will pass from the generator 1 through the upper section of the pipe 9 to the holder 3, which, as aforesaid, is capable of resisting a great pressure. This may be continued until all the water remaining in the carbid or in which it may have become submerged is exhausted or until the carbid is neutralized, at which time the holder 3 will be stored with a considerable amount of gas. As soon as the gas in the holder 2 shall be partially consumed the valve 10 will by the depression of the section 5 of the said holder be opened and the gas allowed to flow from the holder 3 to the holder 2, and, in case the evolution in the gas-generator shall be still in process, also from the aforesaid generator to said holder 2. This will continue until the valve 10 shall be closed, as before specified. In case there is still active carbid in the generator 1 the opening of the valve 35 by the still further depression of the part 5 will again start the evolution of gas.

Having thus described my invention, what ters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In an acetylene-gas generator, the combination of a gasometer and a holder capable of sustaining a high tension, a pipe entering the gas-space of both, a valve located between the generator-inlet and the gasometer and means for opening and closing said valve operated by the gasometer at predetermined points of its path of motion, a gas-generator connected to said holder and means for automatically starting the generator upon the reduction of the gas-pressure in the gasometer i belowa given point as and for the purpose I specified. a sight-feed, and also incorporated in this 2. In an acetylene-gas generator the combination of a gasometer and a holder capable of sustaining a high tension, a pipe entering the gas-space of both, a gas-generator connected to said holder and a valve in said pipe located between the generator-inlet and the gasometer and means for opening and closing said valve operated by the gasometer at predetermined points of its path of motion.

3. In an acetylene-gas generator the combination of a gasometer and a holder capable of sustaining a high tension, a pipe entering the gas-space of both, a gas-generator connected to said holder, a valve in said pipe located between the generator-inlet and the gasometer and means for opening and closing said valve operated by the gasometer at predetermined points of its path of motion and a supply of water delivering its fluid to the generator and provided with a valve controlled by the motion of the gasometer.

4. In an acetylene-gas generator, a gasometer, and a holder capable of sustaining a high tension, a pipe entering the gas-space of both, a gas-generator connected to said pipe, a valve in said pipe located between the gasgenerator inlet and the gasometer, and means for closing said valve when the gasometer has received a desired -quantity of gas and opening it When the gasorneter has fallen to a desired point, said valve being operated by the gasometer with a supply of Water delivering its fluid to the generator and provided with a valve controlled by the motion of the gason1eter, said valves being so adjusted that when the gasoineter descends, the gas-supply valve will open a desired period prior to the Water-supply valve, substantially as described.

5. In an acetylene-gas generator, a generator and a cap therefor, a clamp provided with a screw polygonal head, and adapted JAMES HAMILTON GOUPER.

\Vitnesses:

A. P. Woon, S. M. W001). 

